Routine police stop nets gun, knife, drugs

A Langley Mountie turned up a laundry list of drugs and weapons after what police intially thought was a routine call.

At about 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 26, a Langley RCMP traffic officer responded to a complaint about three men smoking pot in the 5700 block of 203rd Street.

The officer found the trio and their vehicle and arrested them for possession of a controlled substance, said Cpl. Holly Largy, spokesperson for the Langley RCMP.

A search of the car turned up a lot more than marijuana. Among the items found were:

• A loaded .45 calibre semi-automatic pistol, later found to have been stolen from Calgary in 2014

• A switchblade

• A set of brass knuckles with a built-in taser,

• More than 100 individual packets of suspected heroin

• More than 100 packets of suspected crack cocaine

• Dozens of packets of suspected crystal meth

• Dozens of packages of suspected powder cocaine

• Seven cellphones

• A marijuana grinder

• More than $4,000

The three suspects, 23, 20, and 17, and all from Surrey, have been released from custody while the investigation continues. Charges will be recommended, said Largy.

Supt. Murray Power, head of the Langley detachment, said it highlights a few key areas for local policing in Langley.

“First, we continue to encourage citizens to call police for any suspicious or illegal activities, as you never know what it may lead to,” Power said. “Secondly, the officer safety issues police face daily, especially those engaging in vehicle stops or searches.”

The potential loss of drugs and currency for the suspects, along with the presence of weapons, could have made this a very risky incident, Power noted.